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I used to think blogging was an add-on. I didn’t realise that it can be seamlessly integrated into the classroom literacy program. I used to feel guilty about taking time away from my reading and writing curriculum. It was a light bulb moment for me when I realised that blogging is literacy; and an authentic and important style of literacy too. Now a day without blogging as part of my literacy block would be hard to imagine.

Here are some key messages around internet safety that I believe all students should be aware of. Most of these are tips I share with my students with some ideas from Susan McLean. Always ask an adult if you’re unsure of anything when you are online. Don’t sign up for sites that are 13+ if you are not old enough (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram etc). Remember YAPPY (the personal information you should not share online) – Your full name, address, phone number, passwords, your plans.  Don’t add people as online friends unless you know them in real life or have parent permission. Never arrange to meet an online friend without talking to a parent. Remember that you cannot believe everything you read on the internet and you can’t trust everything online friends tell you. Choose sensible names for usernames, email addresses etc.  Talk to your parents about what you’re doing online and let them know when you’re going on the internet. Know what cyber bullying is and tell someone if you think it’s happening to you. Cyber bullying is when someone picks on you, annoys, embarrasses, or threatens you over and over again using technology, such as the internet or a phone. Protect your digital footprint: don’t put anything online that you wouldn’t want all your friends, family, teachers and future employers to see. Treat others online the way you’d like to be treated.

Using an iPod Touch in the Primary Classroom Posted by Mrs Kathleen Morris on Monday, August 8th 2011      2011 is the fourth year I’ve been using an iPod Touch in my classroom. My students enjoy using these hand held devices and they can be used to enhance student learning in many different areas. In this post I will describe how we set up our iPod Touches and how we use them. Funding In 2008, I was successful in applying for a DEECD Emerging Technologies Trial Grant. We purchase 8 iPod Touches and some professional development time. Since then, our school has budgeted to purchase a small number of iPod Touches. We generally buy our iPod Touches from BigW and get the lowest memory model. More than half of the classes at our large primary school now have an iPod Touch in their room (we also have a small number of iPads that we’re beginning to trial). Equipment A headphone splitter was purchased for each iPod Touch which allow the device to be used by a group of five students at one time.

A headphone splitter was purchased for each iPod Touch which allow the device to be used by a group of five students at one time.

While our headphone splitter works well to share one iPod between 5 students when they are listening to stories, podcast or videos, activities that involve apps are better in a 1:1 or 1:2 situation. We have found one way to get around this. If a group of students were playing an app, they might take it in turns to have a go with the app while also engaged in another related activity. For example, students could be taking it in turns to play the app Wurdle, while other students play the Boggle board game.

Draw a Stickman is a delightful place for kids to be creative, read, imagine and draw.  Students are given sets of directions that they must complete to help out the hero of the story, a stickman figure that they created.  Everything that they draw comes to life and interacts with the rest of what is on the screen.  Brilliant!  These mini interactive stories that have students reading and following directions, solving mysteries, thinking creatively and solving problems. The new episode is just as charming as the last!

How to integrate Draw a Stickman into the classroom:Draw a Stickman is a fun interactive site that uses student creations to tell a story.  Students can complete the interactive on individual computers, iDevices (the site works great!), interactive whiteboards, or classroom computers.

Listen and Read has fantastic online reading activities for early learners.  There are 54 nonfiction read-along books that include words, images and sound.  You can sort books by subject including: Community, American History, Animals, Civics and Government, Environmental Studies, Plants and Flowers, Science and Social Studies.  You can also sort books by level (A or B). How to integrate Listen and Read into your curriculum: Non-fiction can be hard to read in the early years.  It often includes unfamiliar words and vocabulary and concepts that students don’t have a lot of prior knowledge of.  Scholastic’s Listen and Read is fantastic because it helps students navigate their way through non-fiction with the support of a read-aloud, sounds and images.  These interactive books help students better comprehend content because they aren’t focused on the words they are stumbling through.  At the end of the book students can click on the unfamiliar new vocabulary to hear the word said again.  This follow-up exposure reinforces word recognition, vocabulary and ideas.

Super Math World isn’t a totally free site but it does have a LOT of free content that kids can access. 

Free topics include: adding, measures, number patterns, percentages, place value, area, estimating, fractions, negative numbers, set theory, venn diagrams, and series.  The kids will enjoy the arcade-like practice area.

How to integrate Super Math World into the classroom:  Super Math World makes a great computer center activity during math.  The games are quick-enough that students can filter through classroom computers for their turn over a few periods.  The games would also make fun whole-class interactive whiteboard games.  These are intended to be one player, so you can split your students into teams and have them take turns at the board. 

What it is:  ABC Mouse is a complete online curriculum for pre-k and kindergarten students that provides a step-by-step learning path.  There are six academic levels that include curriculum that includes over 350 interactive lessons and more than 2000 learning activities. 

This is a comprehensive, well put together site that is FREE to public schools in the United States and Canada.  It is a wonderful addition to the kindergarten classroom!

How to integrate ABC Mouse into the classroom:  ABC Mouse is a fun website.  Activities in ABC Mouse are fantastic for center use in a one-two computer classroom (or more).  The activities and games are short enough for a center activity that students can cycle through.